Chair of the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC), Mrs. Annette Arjoon-Martin, in a statement to the Guyana Chronicle, affirmed that the deliberate setting of fire to a mangrove area at Hope Beach, Saturday, affirms the urgent need for public awareness. Martins said, “We are very disturbed at this incident, and it confirms how much work we have to do to educate the public on the important role that mangroves play in our sea defences. We have to believe that these fires were set through ignorance and not for vindictive reasons.”
The burnt area was approximately 72,000 square meters. Several black mangrove trees which appeared to be over 20-years-old were badly damaged, and over 24 were completely destroyed.
“This is a terrible act; it is akin to my taking a sledgehammer and breaking the sea wall. Mangroves are nature’s protection from the sea, when we destroy them we are putting ourselves at serious risk,” she said.
The MAC spokesperson also referred to the practice of people using mangrove areas to dump garbage which is then set afire, and said this activity must come to end.
According to her, MAC stresses that the public needs to be informed that all mangroves have been declared a protected species by Minister Robert Persaud, whose Ministry has the portfolio for Forestry.
Because of their value to the sea defences, it is now illegal to destroy mangroves, and persons found doing so will be prosecuted.
Martins expressed her concern for the vital role the public has to play in the successful protection and management of mangroves.
To this end, MAC is embarking on a national awareness and education campaign, and targeting every Guyanese will be a first step in this regard.
This will be complemented by a programme which will focus on getting the local communities that live near mangrove forested areas directly involved in the protection and monitoring of this invaluable resource.
Martins explained that mangroves are vital for the important role they play in reducing wave energy and protecting our coastline from erosion. They also act as breeding grounds for  marine life which benefits our fishing industry and our food supply.
The main role of the mangrove protection and management project is to enhance Guyana’s defence against the sea. It is being funded by the Government of Guyana and the European Union, and is being executed by the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI).
Under NARI, the Mangrove Action Committee has been set up and comprises key stakeholders including the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the River and Sea Defence Commission, and the University of Guyana, among others.